TRANSFORMERS TOYS AND MERCHANDISE SECTION

Savannahtron's review: Encore 19, Big Mission Cassette #3

Encore #19 Big Mission set includes Rumble, Frenzy, Laserbeak and Overkill. Included are the fresh unplayed with, strappingly tight joints and clickity ratchet shoulders as well as a lot of chrome goodness. The box looks pretty good on display with the tapes in the box as well has the Metroplex background on the backside of the box. This set includes several of the most popular Decepticon tapes and is a great addition to anyones collection. Whether you own Soundwave or not, Frenzy and Rumble alone are worth the price of admission. Laserbeak and Overkill just add the icing to the cake.

Robot mode: Rumble is an awesome pint-sized warrior with lots of trash talk and vigor. Always ready for a scrap, Rumble whips out his groundshakers to knock just about anyone over. One of my favorite scenes is during Transformers the Movie where the Constructicons form Devastator and Rumble shakes them right out of gestalt mode.

So about the Blue and the Red. If you are a cartoon fan, then Rumble is blue. If you are a comic fan, then Rumble is red. Really does not matter much as both are identical with the exception of the color scheme. Both had similar roles and functioned as Soundwaves minions.

Transformation: 10/10 Rumble has very tight joints out of the box and is able to hold his weapons straight and true. I prefer the lasers to be on his backpack for flying.Durability: 10/10 Nice quality plastic, metal, paint, stickers and G1 chrome goodness!Fun: 10/10 Rumble is a must have for any G1 Fan.Price: $54.99 USD shipped and came with three other tapes.Overall: 10/10 Rumble is a great addition to my collection, but I prefer to display him in robot mode. He fits snugly within Soundwaves tape deck, or his plastic tape case, but what is the fun in that?

If Frenzy needed to breathe, war would be his oxygen. He knows no cause, only craves to spread fear and destruction. His efforts are appreciated by other Decepticons. His devotion to warfare makes him hard to deal with on a personal level. Can roll his drums to produce high-pitch, grating sound of 200db. Disorients and disrupts electrical flow in opponents circuitry which makes them malfunction. Physically weak. His manic attack can be countered with cool logic.

Str 3, Int 6, Spd 3, End 6, Rank 6, Courage 10, Firepower 9, Skill 6

Alternate mode: Micro cassette tape. And we are off

Robot mode: Frenzy, the crazy robot warrior. Well, I always liked to think he was crazy because he took on Autobots 10 times his size with no qualms at all. Very cool little bot, and as Rumbles twin ranks right up there as a Decepticon classic. Frenzy is one of Soundwaves more popular minions and is always ready to rumble.

Transformation: 10/10 Frenzy looks better in robot mode than in micro-cassette mode and fits well into Soundwaves chest compartment. Durability: 10/10. Great plastics, paint, stickers and chrome. Gotta love chrome!Fun: 10/10 Frenzy, like the other tapes, is a ton of fun to play with and beat up Autobots.Price: Came with Rumble in the Encore 19 set.Overall: Frenzy completely rocks out just like Rumble. Having never owned Soundwave or the tapes during my original G1 days, I envied my neighbor who had Soundwave and all of the tapes. I absolutely love the Encore 19 set.

Name: LaserbeakAllegiance: DecepticonFunction: InterrogationThe only point I like in Autobots: melting point.

Laserbeak takes pleasure in hunting his preyusually the straggling survivors of a battle. Noticeably not brave. Will run for safety if threatened. Flies at speed up to 250mph. Uses two independently targetable laser cannons with extreme precision to get information from captives. Shortage of ruby crystals that powers the laser can panic his systems into shutting down.

Str 5, Int 6, Spd 8, End 5, Rank 6, Courage 2, Firepower 8, Skill 9

Alternate mode: Micro cassette. Moving along.

Robot mode: Laserbeak turns into a flying robotic condor. His tape body opens up to make the wings, the head comes out, and the feet flip out. Then you attach his laser cannons to his back and Bam! You got Laserbeak. Laserbeak was one of the first Decepticons that shows just how crafty Soundwave can be. At one point, Laserbeak is chasing Cliffjumper and Hound, who split up, by following Hound and sending a laser drone from his rocket pack.

Transformation: 10/10. Laserbeak turns into a realistic looking micro cassette tape, which fits nicesly into Soundwaves chest.Durability: 10/10 Metal version. G1 beefy metal. You know it.Fun: 10/10 Laserbeak is a lot of fun to play in addition to Soundwave.Price: Part of the Encore 19 set again, although came with the 25th anniversary Soundwave release as well. Overall: 10/10 Laserbeak is definitely one of the classic Soundwave minions. He was always Megatrons favorite pet and was not afraid to mess up any Autobots plans.

Name: OverkillAllegiance: DecepticonFunction: Warrior

Too much destruction is never enough

Whether talking, terrifying or attacking, he does everything in excess. So busy proving how tough he is by snapping cars in half between his jaws, that he forgets his mission. Can record data as a cassette tape, rip open the hull of a battleship as a tyrannosaurus. Armed with 2 batters of motion missiles-each reacts to any moving object bigger than a baseball and explodes on contact.

Robot mode: Overkill transforms into a tyrannosaurus of terror. The robot mode is pretty decent, but as one can imagine, very narrow, so Overkill looks better from a profile pose instead. Blue, white color scheme with gold paint eyes and chrome missiles, not overly impressive, but his tech spec gives him a bit more power than most of his micro-cassette buddies. Think about it, jaws large enough to snap a car in half or rip open a battleship? Talk about scale differences. Either way, not a lot of action for this pint-sized t-rex.

Transformation: 8/10 Overkill has a pretty decent transformation, but rather narrow from a frontal view.Durability: 9/10 Great plastic, sticker and paint. Oh, did I mention chrome goodness?Fun: 9/10 Overkill works well as a cassette and mini t-rex. Price: Included with the Encore 19 set.Overall: Overkill was excessively overlooked everywhere. Not much action, the character has a lot of potential, but not a lot of bite as his tech spec indicates. What is really nice about the Encore #19 set for Overkill is that this is his first time reissued.